ird, lest the report
of the muskets should alarm the natives, whom we had every reason to
suspect were at no great distance, from the number of foot paths that led
over the hill, and the noise we heard at intervals. Centinels were placed
to prevent stragglers of our party from exceeding the proper bounds; and
when every other thing was filled with water, the carpenter's boots were
also filled. The water in them was first served out, on account of
leakage.

There is a large sound formed here, to which we gave the name of
Sandwich's Sound, and commodious anchorage for shipping in the bay, to
which we gave the name of Wolf's Bay, in which there is from five to
seven fathom water all round. This is extremely well situated for a
rendezvous in surveying Endeavour Straits; and were a little colony
settled here, a concatenation of Christian settlements would enchain the
world, and be useful to any unfortunate ship of whatever nation, that
might be wrecked in these seas; or, should a rupture take place in South
America, a great vein of commerce might find its way through this
channel.

Hammond's Island lies north west and by west, Parker's Island from north
and by west to north and by east, and an island seen to the north
entrance north west. We supposed it to be an island called by Captain
Bligh Mountainous Island, laid down in latitude 10.16 South.

Sandwich's Sound is formed by Hammond's, Parker's, and a cluster of small
islands on the starboard hand, at its eastern entrance. We also called a
back land behind Hammond's Island, and the other islands to the southward
of it, Cornwallis's Land. The uppermost part of the mountain was
separated from the main by a large gap. Under the gap, low land was seen;
but whether that was a continuation of the main or not, we could not
determine. Near the centre of the sound is a small dark-coloured, rocky
island.

This afternoon, at three o'clock, being the 2d of September, our little
squadron sailed again, and in the evening saw a high peaked island lying
north west, which we called Hawkesbury's Island. The passage through the
north entrance is about two miles wide. After passing through it, saw a
reef. As we approached it, we shallowed our water to three fathom; but on
hauling up more to the south west, we deepened it again to six fathom.
Saw several very large turtle, but could not catch any of them. After
clearing the reef, stood to the westward. Mountainous Island bore N. half
E.;